Tips on working with a rescued IRN

[fluffypoptarts]

Lmao! He does seem like kind of a jerk but i dont think that's his fault lol

Not at all his fault, but it is still funny!

 

[IRNluv]

He just stayed on the door a few days before he was ready to climb elsewhere but look at him now. He is playing and has even started making sounds other than angry noises! We are still doing 15 minute training sessions every 3 hrs or so. Target training has been a blessing because it helps to get him down and back in the cage without handling or stressing him. I don't try to pet or hold him yet. I figure he will let me know if/when he's ready for that.

 

[Ulis_Beast]

You are a blessing for him.. I'm literally all teary.
... The things you wrote this far.. well in my opinion you're doing right by him.

Love his cage/play area setup too.

 

[jh81]

Wonderful! I LOVE the playstand

 

[IRNluv]

You are a blessing for him.. I'm literally all teary.
... The things you wrote this far.. well in my opinion you're doing right by him.

Love his cage/play area setup too.

I'm just kind of bumbling my way thru this. I've worked with rescued animals before but parrot-type birds are a different ball game. Its taken alot of research so far. Any tips and suggestions for improvement on my part is always welcome.

 

[IRNluv]

Wonderful! I LOVE the playstand

My husband and I built this. We figured Shrek has been in his cage 2yrs. Its time to go to another level.

 

[IRNluv]

"Wh- ...Who is that handsome devil over there!"

Lol Shrek is transfixed and in love with his reflection. He keeps bringing it treats like he's trying to share with a new friend and he is talking to it. I don't know if he's ever seen a mirror before. Every new thing I give him he gets so excited about and engrossed in. He's so eager to play with everything. It really is heartbreaking to think he spent 2 yrs alone in an empty cage just going mad.

 

[IRNluv]

So I'm sitting in my chair just chillin. Shrek decided to flutter off of his cage and he landed on the floor. No biggie he's done this before and he has a ladder from the floor to his cage and can get back without my help. ...But he didn't go back to his cage. He walked over to me, climbed up on my foot, then up my pants leg, across my lap, and now he's sitting on my arm, chewing on my bracelet and my phone case and watching TV. I don't want to move. I feel like I might break some kind of spell here.

I for real thought him being willing to be touched was going to be months down the road (if ever). I'm not going to try to pet him but I'm just so amazed and grateful for this moment. We're just gonna sit here and watch a little TV for a while.

 

[IRNluv]

My husband is upset because I just pointed out to him that Shrek has taught him to play fetch (my husband taking the role of the dog)

Let me set the scene for you. Shrek is playing with a toy (ball, rubber duck, bell, cardboard tube, whatever) he walks to the edge of his play gym and screeches at my husband and then flings the toy. Husband gets up, picks up toy, hands it back to Shrek. Shrek waits for hubby to sit down and then flings toy again... and looks at hubby and shrieks again. Lol. Hubby gets up and gives him the toy. Repeat!

This bird is such a jerk LMAO

I love him.

 

[Destiny]

My husband is upset because I just pointed out to him that Shrek has taught him to play fetch (my husband taking the role of the dog)

It is so heartwarming when a man and parrot bond over target-training.

It kind of makes me wonder about what the animal must be thinking during a training exercise, when I ask for the same behavior repeatedly. And why it is so important to keep each session relatively short.

 

[IRNluv]

It is so heartwarming when a man and parrot bond over target-training.

It kind of makes me wonder about what the animal must be thinking during a training exercise, when I ask for the same behavior repeatedly. And why it is so important to keep each session relatively short.

I set a timer for 15min when I start a session with him. It's tempting to keep working when he's doing well but the breaks are just as important. My husband doesn't really work with him and if Tim gets within bite range, Shrek will still go at him. It's just funny to me that the bird is butthole enough to mess with my husband like this.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

I set a timer for 15min when I start a session with him. It's tempting to keep working when he's doing well but the breaks are just as important. My husband doesn't really work with him and if Tim gets within bite range, Shrek will still go at him. It's just funny to me that the bird is butthole enough to mess with my husband like this.

He sounds sassy and brassy, much like a lovebird. My most possessive lovie will still try to bite my wife every chance he gets! Shrek has much more reason to want to bite everyone, poor guy.

It sounds like you are making amazing progress with him, and within a very short time. I’m loving this thread. There’s not so much to read here on IRNs, strangely enough. Thank you for sharing his journey.

 

[IRNluv]

He sounds sassy and brassy, much like a lovebird. My most possessive lovie will still try to bite my wife every chance he gets! Shrek has much more reason to want to bite everyone, poor guy.

It sounds like you are making amazing progress with him, and within a very short time. I’m loving this thread. There’s not so much to read here on IRNs, strangely enough. Thank you for sharing his journey.

I draw water (or wisdom) from many wells. I have a friend who works with the birds at our local zoo. His advice was "leave him alone but don't leave him alone". He told me to make NO attempts to pet Shrek or interact with him with my hands. Shrek has come to know hands mean "I'm trapped, squeezed, grabbed, hurt, hands are bad". But if I leave him alone for weeks or months to let him come around then he will still be neglected mentally and no better off than where he was. It was recommended to begin target training as a means to interact with and stimulate Shrek mentally and to build trust with out forcing him to accept hands. Keep sessions short and positive and work with no expectations of the outcome.

 

[Meerkat07]

This thread really warms my heart seeing Shrek recover from his old home, post by post.

 

[IRNluv]

"Please don't bite my face. I'm not too pretty for that, its just unpleasant."

So this is the second time Shrek has come to sit with me. I was snacking on some banana chips and he decided I should share. He was stealing them as I tried to put them in my mouth. We also learned that Shrek doesn't like Captain Kirk. Everytime he came on the screen, Shrek makes the "I hate you" sound and his eyes pin. Maybe he's a Picard fan?

 

[IRNluv]

I haven't had a chance to update in a while. Shrek is doing really well... With me... Sort of. He's come to a point where he seems to want to spend time with me. If i stand next to his cage he will step up on my shoulder, get a treat, and hang out. I still dont ask him to step up on my hands. He's not biting me and we are bonding well. Shrek is very jealous tho. If my husband tries to be affectionate, my daughter gives me a hug, or I pay attention to my other pets, Shrek is screaming and pitching a fit. Its also become a little difficult to get him off of me when I need him to go back to his space. Hubby and my daughter can't handle him. He still tries to bite them if they get near the cage. So as far as he's come, he's still a grouchy little ogre.

 

[IRNluv]

Its become kind of an evening ritual for Shrek to come sit with me. I put on videos of other ring necks playing and talking and he seems to enjoy this. But this is the first time he has fallen asleep with me. I feel like this is the biggest break through. This bird who started out terrified of everyone and highly defensive has found enough trust and security to let himself rest. THIS is my reward.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

He was pretty before, but how beautiful he is at peace!

 

[IRNluv]

So I took Shrek back to the vet today because I had been noticing for a while now that he holds his left foot kinda funny and he seems to have a slight limp. It wasn't so noticeable when he first came home because he didn't move around very much but it became evident since he's been climbing and playing.

They took x-rays and the picture was sadly revealing. Shrek's left tarsus has a healed, untreated fracture. The vet explained the limp probably is not because he's in pain now but because the way the break healed turned his foot a little off.

I was hoping you guys can help me make a decision. The vet believes she can rebrake and repair. I'm not concerned about the financial cost of doing this but is it worth putting him thru the general risks of anesthesia, the risk of failing and making it worse, and (if successful) a painful recovery?

He's come so far in an emotional sense. I'd have to lock him up and restrict his movements for weeks during the recovery and I feel that may do him more harm than good. Plus, I don't know how much I trust this vet. She's kind of young and often leaves me feeling my concerns and the best interest of my bird take a back seat to some other motivation.

Aside from all that, because Shrek was ... not as bad as he could have been at the vet, we stopped off at the pet store and bought him some new toys and treats. We rearranged his play area and he's having a blast playing new games.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

@IRNluv That’s a tough one. But if it doesn’t significantly hinder his movements or ability to do what he needs/wants to, or cause him pain, it might be better to leave it. I’ve learned that sometimes that’s better/safer than taking the risk(s) to try to fix everything. The fact that you’re uncertain of this vet would make me even less inclined to think that you should take those risks.